COMM U N I T Y
BY: CALLIE COLLINS
Places to Play
Norman Builds Parks for Bikers, Skaters
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orman is adding some new features to its community parks. Creekside Bike Park, located at Lindsey Street and 24th Avenue SE, opened last fall. And, if that’s not enough fun, the city will build an expanded skate park within Andrews Park later this year. Construction of these parks was made possible with funding from the city’s hotel and motel tax, which contains funding earmarked for parks and recreation, said James Briggs, Norman’s city park planner. “We’re so excited to be able to offer this type of facility and we hope they are the first of many,” said Briggs. He said the bike park project was prompted by suggestions from the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee in 2015. The city has hired Missouri-based park design and construction company American Ramp Company to do the work. The company built Andrews Park’s first skating area nearly 20 years ago, and it has maintained contact with the city ever since. The company was
24 | March 2020
new at the time, but its resume now includes projects in 42 countries. “I am really proud to say that Creekside Bike Park is one of the best of its kind in the state of Oklahoma,” said company co-owner John Hunter, who described himself as a former mountain biker. “Norman is one of the first in Oklahoma to feature this kind of cutting-edge set-up.” Hunter and his staff met with members of the Norman community to understand what they wanted . They also created a logo and a brand identity for Creekside. The new bike park includes a biking playground designed for children ages 8 and under and the rest of park is composed of a tree-lined loop with different obstacles and a jump line for more adventurous riders. “Generationally, playing in this way is not something we always consider safe in our society. It used to be that people built ramps like these in their yards,” Hunter said. “Today, these parks are built by professionals as a
way to get kids more excited about outdoor play.” In an age when doctors are prescribing outdoor play for kids, parks are an important community asset. “All of this type of recreation and activity answers a lot of really big problems that we deal with, like getting kids engaged and figuring out how to reduce time staring at screens,” said Hunter. “Competition for time and attention being what it is now, we know that video games and multimedia stuff is super engaging, especially for teens. Biking is basically like a video game that can be done on your own. You don’t have to wait for a group practice. “There’s a natural progression and you have to build up your skill level. There are areas you can see you shouldn’t attempt because it’s obvious you’re not ready yet. That’s a life lesson.” Unlike bike and skate parks from the ’90s, and even the early 2000s, overall access has improved, and people of all ages can find an activity to enjoy. The ability to enjoy the parks’ green space,
